Calla lily plant named ‘Black Jack’

ABSTRACT

A  calla  lily plant particularly distinguished by dark purple spathe and maculated leaves.

Genus and species: Zantedeschia sp.

Variety denomination: ‘Black Jack’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of callalily, botanically known as Zantedeschia sp, and hereinafter referred toby the cultivar name ‘Black Jack’. The new cultivar is asexuallyreproduced from vegetative cuttings and tissue culture resulting fromthe cross of the female parent ‘Cameo’ (patent status unknown) and themale parent is an unnamed, unpatented seedling from the Bloomz breedingpool.

‘Black Jack’ is a product of a planned breeding program intended tocreate new calla lily plants with dark purple-black spathes.

The new cultivar was created in 2001 in Tauranga New Zealand and hasbeen asexually reproduced repeatedly by vegetative cuttings and tissueculture in New Zealand over a 2 year period. The present invention hasbeen found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successivepropagations; and this novelty is firmly fixed. ‘Black Jack’ reproducestrue to type through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPH

This new calla lily plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographswhich show blooms, buds, and foliage of the plant in full color, thecolors shown being as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventionalphotographic procedures.

FIG. 1 shows the mature inflorescence;

FIG. 2 shows the overall plant habit;

FIG. 3 shows a close-up of the leaf.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘Black Jack’. The data that defines thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inNew Zealand. The plant history was taken on 2 year old plants based on a3 cm diameter tuber under New Zealand Summer conditions. Colorreferences are primarily to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society of London (R.H.S.).

THE PLANT

-   Classification:    -   -   Botanical.—Zantedeschia sp.        -   Commercial.—Calla lily.        -   Variety.—‘Black Jack’.-   Size:    -   -   Form.—Erect.        -   Height of the leaf canopy above the soil.—25-40 cm.        -   Height of top of inflorescence above the soil.—30-40 cm.        -   Diameter.—25-30 cm.        -   Number of inflorescence per tuber size.—Tuber diameter 3 cm            2-4. Tuber diameter 4 cm 4-6. Tuber diameter 5 cm 6+.-   Branches:    -   -   Character.—Strong.        -   Color.—Upper surface is green RHS 144A; lower surface is            Dark Purple RHS 187B; base is white RHS 155C.        -   Average number.—3-4.-   Leaves:    -   -   Size.—Width 5-10 cm; length 13-20 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Color.—Upper surface is green RHS 137B; occasionally middle            section splotch is present and is about Dark purple RHS            187A-202A; lower surface is green RHS 137C.        -   Maculation (leaf spots).—Medium density; white RHS 155C.        -   Apex.—Acute to apiculate.        -   Margin.—Moderately wavy, entire.        -   Margin color.—Yellow-Green RHS 144A.        -   Veins.—Pinnate.        -   Surface quality.—Leathery.-   Petiole (leaf stalk):    -   -   Length.—10-15 cm.        -   Color.—Base is Dark Purple RHS 187B; upper is green RHS            144A.-   Roots:    -   -   Color.—White.        -   Branching.—Not branched, attached to the top of the tuber at            the apices.        -   Disease resistance.—No susceptibility noted to date.        -   Pest resistance.—No susceptibility noted to date.

THE INFLORESCENCE

-   Spathe (flower body):    -   -   Size.—Length 5-7 cm; width 3-5 cm.        -   Color.—Upper surface is Dark Purple RHS 187A-202A; lower            surface is Dark Purple RHS 187A.        -   Veins.—Present, black RHS 202A.        -   Shape.—Fluted, acute apex, entire wavy margin.-   Spadix (reproductive organs):    -   -   Size.—Length 2-2.5 cm; diameter 0.4-0.7 cm.        -   Color.—Base is Dark Purple RHS 187A; Upper is Dark Purple            RHS 187A.        -   Position relative to spathe.—Upright.-   Peduncle (flower stem):    -   -   Size.—20-40 cm in length, 6-8 mm in diameter.        -   Color.—Base is Dark Purple RHS 187A; upper is Dark Purple            RHS 187B.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Location of female organs.—Basal position of the spadix.        -   Location of male organs.—Upper position of the spadix.        -   Perianth (the floral envelope — calyx and            corolla).—Conspicuous.        -   Stamens.—Not visible before pollen release.        -   Pistil.—10-20 per spadix; purple RHS 186D.-   Miscellaneous:    -   -   Time to produce a finished flowering plant.—6-10 weeks.        -   Lastingness of bloom on the plant.—2-3 weeks.        -   Fragrance.—None.-   Fruit:    -   -   Production.—10-20 berries.        -   Color.—Predominantly dark purple RHS 187A with green RHS            143A markings.

COMPARISON WITH KNOWN CULTIVARS

When the instant plant is compared to ‘Ruby Lite Red’ (patent statusunknown) the ‘Black Jack’ foliage has a medium density of maculation andthe shape of the leaves is ovate towards arrow shaped. Additionally thespathe color is different than ‘Ruby Lite Red’. ‘Black Jack’ is aminiature version of ‘Hot Chocolate’ (co-pending U.S. Plant patentapplication Ser. No. 10/382,957). When the instant plant is compared to‘Hot Chocolate’ the spathe size, stem length and overall plant size aresignificantly and noticeably smaller.

When the instant plant is compared to the female parent, ‘Cameo’, ‘BlackJack’ has dark purple—black spathes whereas ‘Cameo’ has salmon-pinkspathes. ‘Crackerjack’ is distinguished from the male parent primarilyin spathe color.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of calla lily plant as shown anddescribed herein.